Amalgam Separators

OVERVIEW Dentistry and the Environment Dental Amalgam, BMPs and Separators Regulatory Alternatives The EPA/ADA MOU Help for You

Doing our Share! Dentistry is committed to doing its share to protect our environment. While dentistry contributes less than 1% of the mercury in the environment, we can do more to recycle.

Amalgam Dental amalgam remains a safe and effective treatment option. But mercury in dental office wastewater originates from waste particles associated with the placement and removal of amalgam fillings.

ADA Policy ADA included amalgam separators as part of the ADA Best Management Practices (“BMPs”) in October 2007. Separators allow waste amalgam to be captured in the dental office so that the mercury may be recycled. BMPs

Dental Amalgam Separators Amalgam separators can capture over 95% of the amalgam discharged by dental offices into sewer systems. Increasing amalgam-related mercury captured in dental offices will reduce the amount of mercury entering POTWs. Most amalgam waste particles generated during placement and removal of amalgam restorations are discharged into a dental unit vacuum line. Chairside traps and vacuum pump filters remove 40 – 80 percent of the amalgam particles from this waste.

Dental Amalgam Separators Amalgam separators are effective in increasing the amount of amalgam that is recycled. Separators keep mercury out of treatment plant sludge. This sludge (biosolids) is often incinerated (releasing mercury into the environment) or placed on the land. Separators usually are easy to install and maintain.

Dentists are Targeted Dentists are the number one contributor of mercury to wastewater This is why regulators are looking to dentistry to reduce the flow of mercury into treatment plants. Treatment plants want to minimize mercury.

Current Regulatory Climate 11 states and at least 19 localities have mandatory pretreatment programs that require the use of dental mercury amalgam separators. Norway banned most uses of amalgam. Sweden has a similar ban. Both acted for environmental reasons.

Possible EPA and State Action In 2008, EPA studied a possible national pretreatment standard for dental offices. If enacted, such a standard would likely mean a nation-wide separator mandate. EPA concluded it was not necessary, in part because dentistry was already taking voluntary steps on its own (e.g. adding separators to BMPs). Of course, states and local governments can insist on their own mandates, rules and conditions.

Our Response By showing that we can and will comply with voluntary BMPs, including separators, we can demonstrate that mandates are not needed. Mandates often come with harsh timelines, burdensome recordkeeping requirements and restricted choices, or worse! We can do better—for the environment and ourselves—if we act voluntarily.

Memorandum of Understanding on Reducing Dental Amalgam Discharges The Environmental Protection Agency, the American Dental Association and a national wastewater treatment association have signed an agreement to promote voluntary use of the ADA's best management practices for handling amalgam waste.

Memorandum of Understanding on Reducing Dental Amalgam Discharges The Key to the MOU: Promote use of separators First: Baseline data on separator usage Then: Show progress towards greater use of separators!

Memorandum of Understanding on Reducing Dental Amalgam Discharges EPA will examine whether a significant majority of dentists are utilizing amalgam separators. Then, EPA may re-evaluate its current view not to mandate separators nationwide.

Memorandum of Understanding on Reducing Dental Amalgam Discharges This is why we need to act now. Add a separator to an existing office. Remodeling? Building? Include a separator in your plans.

Do… Do use precapsulated alloys and stock a variety of capsule sizes Do recycle used disposable amalgam capsules Do salvage, store and recycle non-contact amalgam (scrap amalgam) Do salvage (contact) amalgam pieces from restorations after removal and recycle the amalgam waste Do use chair-side traps, vacuum pump filters and amalgam separators to retain amalgam and recycle their contents Do recycle teeth that contain amalgam restorations. (Note: Ask your recycler whether or not extracted teeth with amalgam restorations require disinfection) Do manage amalgam waste through recycling as much as possible Do use line cleaners that minimize dissolution of amalgam

Don’t… Don’t use bulk mercury Don’t put used disposable amalgam capsules in biohazard containers, infectious waste containers (red bags) or regular garbage Don’t put non-contact or contact amalgam waste in biohazard containers, infectious waste containers (red bags) or regular garbage Don’t rinse devices containing amalgam over drains or sinks Don’t dispose of extracted teeth that contain amalgam restorations in biohazard containers, infectious waste containers (red bags), sharps containers or regular garbage Don’t flush amalgam waste down the drain or toilet Don’t use bleach or chlorine-containing cleaners to flush wastewater lines

Non-Contact (Scrap) Amalgam Place non-contact, scrap amalgam in wide-mouthed, container that is marked “Non-contact Amalgam Waste for Recycling.” Make sure the container lid is well sealed. When the container is full, send it to a recycler.

Amalgam Capsules Stock amalgam capsules in a variety of sizes. After mixing amalgam, place the empty capsules in a wide-mouthed, airtight container that is marked “Amalgam Capsule Waste for Recycling.” Capsules that cannot be emptied should likewise be placed in a wide-mouthed, airtight container that is marked “Amalgam Capsule Waste for Recycling.” Make sure the container lid is well sealed. When the container is full, send it to a recycler.

Disposable Chair-Side Traps Open the chair-side unit to expose the trap. Remove the trap and place it directly into a wide-mouthed, airtight container that is marked “Contact Amalgam Waste for Recycling.” Make sure the container lid is well sealed. When the container is full, send it to a recycler. Traps from dental units dedicated strictly to hygiene may be placed in with the regular garbage.

Reusable Chair-Side Traps Open the chair-side unit to expose the trap. Remove the trap and empty the contents into a wide-mouthed, airtight container that is marked “Contact Amalgam Waste for Recycling.” Make sure the container lid is well sealed. When the container is full, send it to a recycler. Replace the trap into the chair-side unit (Do not rinse the trap under running water as this could introduce dental amalgam into the waste stream.)

Vacuum Pump Filters Change the filter according to the manufacturer's recommended schedule. Note: The following instructions assume that your recycler will accept whole filters; some recyclers require different handling of this material, so check with your recycler first. Remove the filter. Put the lid on the filter and place the sealed container in the box in which it was originally shipped. When the box is full, the filters should be recycled.

Amalgam Separators Select an amalgam separator that complies with ISO 11143. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for maintenance and recycling procedures.

Line Cleaners Use non-bleach, non-chlorine-containing line cleaners, which will minimize amalgam dissolution.

Dental Amalgam Separators – Made Easy to Install, Easy to Use, Easy to Maintain There are resources available to you: ADA.ORG (search “amalgam separators”) Separator manufacturers (turnkey operation) State Dental Society

ADA.ORG Free downloadable copy of the BMPs “Evaluating Amalgam Separators Using an International Standard” (July 2006) “Purchasing, Installing and Operating Dental Amalgam Separators: Practical Issues” (August 2003)

ADA.ORG Dental Amalgam Separators in the ADA Professional Product Review—Fall 2007—Product reviews, buyer’s checklist, expert discussion Directory of Amalgam Recyclers Laboratory Evaluation of Amalgam Separators (May 2002)

THANK YOU! For doing your share